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'You Might Feel Ridiculous': Yorgos Lanthimos Reveals How To Be An Actor In His Films
Yorgos Lanthimos talks about forgoing character motivation and the silly theater games he uses to get bold performances from Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons in his study of human behavior.
Surrealist Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos presents the anthology film Kinds of Kindness, featuring actors Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Willem Dafoe, and Margaret Qualley. Lanthimos recasts each actor in different roles, highlighting their personalities and contrasting or complementing each other. The film explores different facets of their personalities, allowing viewers to see the characters in different scenarios, highlighting their unique perspectives and experiences.
Yorgos Lanthimos on how to be an actor in his movies
Kinds of Kindness by Yorgos Lanthimos features scenarios that go beyond rational explanations. In The Death of R.M.F, the first story in the Kindness triptych, Robert (Jesse Plemons) is manipulated by his boss, who demands he make love to his wife at specific times a day, poison her drink to prevent pregnancy, and drive his car into another vehicle at the risk of severe injury. The film also touches on the surreal and supernatural, but Lanthimos manages to immerse the viewer in these darkly comedic scenarios, making them relatable and engaging.
Lanthimos likes to film his characters doing bizarre, humiliating, intimate, or disturbing things in frank, unblinking ways. In Kinds of Kindness, Dafoe cries into a pool while wearing a Speedo, Stone gives a long speech about a society of sentient dogs, and Qualley sings a Bee Gees song while accompanying herself on a toy piano, all completely straight-faced.
Lanthimos revealed what marks an actor who’ll fit into Lanthimos’ peculiar world. He said, “I think just having an open mind. And being generous with the other actors, and be trusting when they see that trust is due. Being up for, you know, not taking things too seriously. And trying things that might make you uncomfortable, and you might feel ridiculous in front of the others!”
Kinds of Kindness is a film that combines themes from different perspectives and features a starry cast inhabiting characters who contrast or echo each other. The stories are tied together by their alienated, doomy, blackly comic mood and the figure of R.M.F., a bearded man played by Yorgos Stefanakos, who appears in each story.
“We just decided that it would be more interesting if it wasn’t major characters that reappeared in the three stories, but someone who appears only for a brief moment, but his presence is kind of pivotal to the stories,” Lanthimos said about the character.
A brief about Kind of Kindness
Kinds of Kindness, described as a "triptych fable," consists of three distinct but loosely connected stories:
1. The Death of R.M.F
Robert Fletcher, under the control of his boss and lover, Raymond, is tasked with killing a man named R.M.F. He initially refuses, but Raymond reminds him to do it. His life falls apart, and Sarah goes missing. Robert begs Raymond for another chance, but is rebuffed. Raymond's controlling nature, including setting up with Sarah and preventing her from having a child with him, ultimately leads to his downfall.
Robert tries to gain Raymond's respect by meeting Rita, who is also controlled by Raymond and was tasked with killing R.M.F. Rita is in the hospital, and R.M.F. is in critical condition. In a last-ditch attempt, Robert kidnaps R.M.F., kills him, and then arrives at Raymond's mansion with Raymond, Vivian, and a reformed Robert.
2. R.M.F. is Flying
Police officer Daniel mourns the disappearance of his wife Liz, a marine biologist who went missing at sea. After Liz is rescued by R.M.F, Daniel becomes suspicious of her. Her behavior and likes and dislikes change, and her feet no longer fit her shoes. Despite his growing obsession, Daniel behaves erratically during a traffic stop, shooting a passenger and licking the wound, leading to his suspension from the police force.
Liz shares a dream she had while lost at sea, where dogs were dominant and humans were kept as pets. She believes in relying on something consistent rather than depleting daily. Despite being on antipsychotic medication, Liz is trapped at home with her husband, Daniel, and is ordered to harm herself. Liz cuts out her liver and dies, but another Liz arrives and they happily embrace. The credits show footage of dogs living like humans.
3. R.M.F. Eats a Sandwich
Emily and Andrew are cult members searching for a woman with the ability to reanimate the dead. They examine a candidate named Anna, but find her unsuccessful. Emily secretly visits her estranged husband and daughter. Omi gives them information on another possible candidate, but she is already dead.
Emily believes the woman appeared to her in a dream. Rebecca, who resembles the woman Emily dreamed about, suggests her twin sister Ruth as a perfect candidate. Andrew dismisses this, stating that the requirement of the candidate's twin being deceased was not met.
Emily visits her old home and is invited to visit Joseph and their daughter, but is beaten and raped by Joseph. Emily is kicked out of the cult and plans to see Ruth. Before leaving, she visits Rebecca, who kills herself by diving into an empty pool.
Emily visits Ruth's veterinarian practice and witnesses her dog's spontaneous healing. She knocks her out and takes her to the morgue. Emily orders Ruth to bring R.M.F.'s body back to life, but crashes her car on the way, killing Ruth. In a mid-credits scene, the revived R.M.F. eats a sandwich and spills ketchup on his shirt.
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